At MPM, the full design of a custom engineered solution is not a new concept. Although our roots are in the wood manufacturing industry, we have been involved in projects reaching across many industries and supplied components that just aren’t available off-the-shelf. Some components that we have broad knowledge and experience on include: sensor technology, electronic circuitry, and the use of specialized software.

MPM’s scanning solutions are integrated into every one of our optimization systems, and many of our automation systems use a variety of sensors to “see” the process. Utilizing the latest in precision scanning and sensing technology, our scanning units provide critical information to the operator, enabling them to make informed decisions about further product segmentation or processing.

Our custom scanning solutions are extremely versatile, and can be programmed to look for almost any feature in wood processing, including:

Wane

Pith location

Knots

Surface cracks

Length

Width

Bow

Crook

Twist

MPM can provide single-point sensors, diameter (shadow) scanning, true-Shape (profile) scanning, or a combination of these in a multi-zone configuration, depending on your needs. Furthermore, we have extensive experience with many sensors that interface directly to an automation system and can recommend the best solution for your process. MPM does not develop sensors in-house, but rather discusses our needs with a variety of third-party hardware companies in order to provide each customer with the solution that best fits their operation.

We are able to engineer complete systems using a variety of industrial electronics, including off-the-shelf and specialized controllers, displays, communication interfaces, industrial Ethernet devices, vision sensors, input controls (buttons, joysticks, etc), and power distribution systems. If a component of a system is unavailable in the marketplace, we are able to design and build in-house a solution with the necessary features and connections.

Some of the industrial electronics we work with include:

Motion controllers, such as Delta’s RMC and Allen-Bradley’s HYD02 module

Message boards, such as Newnes and Vorne displays

HMI hardware, such as Allen-Bradley’s Panelview and Hope Industrial’s touchscreens

Often we are asked to design a solution that does not fit one of our current products. Although most of our software products are easily customizable for each site, there can be a need to manage a process in a way that is either unique or obsolete. For instance, it is common for a factory to possess very old scanning technology that fulfills the need but offers little in terms of modern connectivity and troubleshooting tools. We have written many interfaces and drivers for connecting with older scanners, and provide a user-friendly Windows interface for daily operations, maintenance, troubleshooting and remote connections. In addition, the updated system communicates using standard Ethernet networking and connects to modern printers, USB drives, and other devices.

Our Customers

Client Testimonials

We have worked with MPM for the last 13 years and have been consistently pleased with the equipment supplied and the relationship between the two companies. Read More

Rob MacKennaProduction ManagerJames Jones & Sons Ltd., Scotland

I have been working with MPM Engineering for over 30 years on projects of all sizes and disciplines. We’ve installed scanning and optimization systems, as well as automation solutions for various machinery in the sawmill. They have always delivered a solution of the highest quality and workmanship.Read More

Dan DoyleSawmill ManagerGibert Smith, Barriere, BC

We have worked with MPM for over 20 years and have been involved in development, testing and many installations during this time. MPM has been an honest and straight forward company to deal with and their equipment and software has proven to be very robust. We have been extremely happy with their support and expertise and they have always listened to and met or exceeded our requirements. Read More

Don StarrEngineerWeyerhaeuser Princeton

We engaged MPM to design, construct and implement scanning, optimization, control, and HMI systems for a new Hewsaw Trio line. As with most sawmill installations, we wanted things done a little differently. Read More

Richard GalleyManaging DirectorAllied Timber Products, Australia

Our site has installed many MPM components on various production lines, including scanning, optimization, and PLC programming. We are happy with the quality of the systems, the technical ability of MPM’s team, and the timely support we receive. Read More